1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of adding flavor to a liquid, and more particularly to a system and a process for steeping tea. The system is comprised of a vessel, an infusing filter, and a retention lid/mechanism. The invention at hand imparts tea flavor to water, producing a product free of infusible material. The primary intended application is for use in commercial foodservice preparation of tea.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Increased awareness of the health benefits and superior flavor of full leaf tea, as well as economic pressure to provide better value products are driving the demand for loose tea in cafes and restaurants. Conventional loose leaf tea preparation methods in foodservice normally require hand bagging of the loose teas, and securing the hand-packed teabag to the cup or lid with a stick, or by securing one end of the teabag between the lid and the cup. This method is time-consuming and awkward in its preparation. Alternatively, tea is prepared in foodservice with concentrate or tea bags, adding cost and non-compostable waste to the end product. The invention at hand uses an infuser seated within an offset position in a teacup, pitcher or teapot, with a lid or latching mechanism with positive retention to secure the infuser in place and allow for the simple and rapid preparation and safe portability of a steeped beverage. Loose-leaf tea is a significantly better value than bagged tea, and is 100% biodegradable and compostable. The tea steeping assembly provides improved ease of use, safety, value, convenience, and less waste. It is preferably a low cost, biodegradable unit, thus rendering the resulting cup of tea making process “zero-waste”.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,952,028 discloses a disposable system for making hot infused beverages using a porous filter where the filter is detachably coupled to the edge of the beverage container. This invention provides ample area for effective steeping of the infusible material. However, the subject disposable system is sufficiently complex in the number, geometry, required precision and manufacturability of its components to outweigh its economic and environmental benefits when compared to a teabag steeping solution in foodservice. In addition, this system makes the introduction and stirring of additives to the beverage product difficult. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,9642 discloses a disposable system with a lid-integrated central infusing unit. However, the infusing filter in this invention is sufficiently complex in its geometry and its integration with the lid makes stirring of additives to the beverage product impossible without removal of the infusing unit. Such a safety limitation would likely make the use of this system impossible in foodservice. In addition, this invention would likely be made from an injection-molded plastic, thus degrading the quality of the resulting beverage product.